One is the USA's Golden Boy. One is a veteran who didn't
want to come to San Jose. One is a Canadian with funky hair who played in Richmond
last year.

Landon Donovan, Jeff Agoos and Dwayne DeRosario came into
San Jose at various points early in 2001. DeRosario was expected to score a
few goals; Agoos was expected to bring veteran leadership to the defense.

Donovan, of course, is merely expected to save American
soccer. Fans cringed as Clive Charles inexplicably left him on the bench throughout
most of the Olympics and fretted while he got no playing time at Germany's Bayer
Leverkusen.

Unlike other soccer saviors of the past, Donovan has produced
in big games, from the Under-17 World Championships to his first MLS season.
He did it again Sunday, pivoting to unleash a first-touch shot that would make
any seasoned striker proud.

Then he went into the press tent and listened as others
hailed his talent to such an extent that at least one journalist wondered how
the kid's head kept from exploding.

Paul Caligiuri, the Galaxy defender at the other end of
a great soccer career, deferred to his adversary when asked to describe his
performance: "Landon, they want me to talk about you  is that OK?"

But unlike the NBA rookies chattering absurdly about "representing,"
Donovan is making a point of keeping his head intact. He didn't even have to
adjust the baseball cap that sat backwards on his head as if to remind everyone
that he's still in his teens.

Donovan exudes a bit of confidence on the field, which
helped in the semifinals as he stood up to Miami bullies Ivan McKinley and Ian
Bishop. But when asked about his accomplishments Sunday, the first word out
of his mouth was "lucky." He praised DeRosario, Agoos and the "glorious bounce"
that Ian Russell's cross took before his game-tying goal.

Until Sunday, DeRosario could have considered himself unlucky.
He had come to San Jose in a pre-draft allocation  an honor usually reserved
for U.S. national team players coming back from Europe, not Canadian nationals
coming up from the A-League. But after a strong start, the 23-year-old forward
lost playing time to Donovan, Ronald Cerritos and Junior Agogo.

Give the Quakes credit for realizing the need for a deep
front line, and give DeRosario credit for maintaining his focus.

"You have to be mentally ready more than anything," DeRosario
said. "To have such wonderful teammates, that helps you a lot to boost your
confidence, to keep your mind in the game, to keep focused."

San Jose coach Frank Yallop, MLS' Coach of the Year, raved
about DeRosario's attitude and called it "fitting" that he wrapped up the title
in such spectacular fashion, putting a quick one-on-one move against Danny Califf
before firing a shot that Kevin Hartman could only deflect.

"I feel that Dwayne is such an impact player that he has
to get on the field at some point," Yallop said.

Before the season, Yallop faced the challenge of getting
Agoos on the field. Agoos had won three titles with D.C. United and wasn't happy
to hear he'd been shipped to San Jose.

"To be honest, when Frank told me to come over, we sat
down and I said, 'Frank, look, I just don't think it's going to happen. I want
to see what my options are'," Agoos said. "He looked distraught, and I have
to apologize for it."

The situation jumped back into Yallop's head as he attempted
to describe Agoos' contributions on the season.

"Right from Day 1 ... well, from Day 1 he didn't want to
come ... but from Day 7, I think it was ...," Yallop said.

For Agoos, it's another bounce in a career that's had ups
and downs. He was cut from the national team before the 1994 World Cup and left
on the bench in France 1998. As a result, he has played 115 games for the national
team but has not seen the field in a World Cup game. With the USA's travel plans
for 2002 secured, he should get that chance next year.

Meanwhile, he simply gets better and better in MLS. After
three MLS titles with D.C. United, he has done it again with a second team and
won the league's Defender of the Year honors.

"There's a reason Jeff Agoos has four championship rings
now," Donovan said. "The guy knows how to win."